Upgrading to new technology

OK, now I don’t know what to do. I had my follow-up appointment on Monday and shared Justin’s suggestions about changing domes. She pretty much brushed them off, saying that there is more than one way to fit these aids and you don’t need to follow all the steps Oticon recommends. She left me in the open domes, changed the speaker wires to 2s (which made a big difference in how the aids sit on my ears), make a few programming tweaks to reduce feedback squeals, and set me up with a follow-up appointment in one month. I expressed concerns that the aids weren’t helping all that much with speech comprehension, and that I wasn’t impressed with the streamer pro. She recommended I spend the next few weeks getting used to hearing with the aids and worry about the bluetooth bells and whistles later. Which makes sense.

I wish I were more excited about these HAs. I’ve already decided to return the streamer pro. I’m inclined to return the Alta Pros and try again in 6 months when my insurance company will be more likely to have Alta2 Pros on their list of covered HAs. If I do that, I could try to find a different audiologist, too. This person did not do my last hearing eval; she was recommended by my insurance company when they discovered the place I had be going to was not in their network. (If I want to take advantage of the insurance benefit, I have to use one of Amplifon’s recommended audiologists.) Another option would be to try and find another audiologist in my area to get a second opinion on the program settings. I’m currently 20 days into the 60 day trial. What would you do?

I think I’d find out what the forms are if you filed the claim and got reimbursed that way. It would give you a lot more options. It’d be a pain to do it yourself and cause a temporary cash crunch but you’d get what you want/need.

Return the devices and go to a new Aud. She must be one of those people who thinks programming hearing devices is an art… It is NOT. Audiology is a science. Even I am board certified in hearing instrument SCIENCE, not hearing instrument ART. Programming hearing devices is a science. It is 100% scientifically verifiable. The art comes in when you are counseling your patient through the adjustment process… But doing so does not mean you deviate from the scientific facts of the audiology. Using an open dome, you will either A - have horrible feedback and get good clarity, or B - have minimal feedback, but get very little benefit. I can prove these things using sound field unaided/aided testing or real ear measures.

Thanks, All. Working on returning these aids and moving on to plan B.